Sunday, 22 January 2006

I will post ten sample training sessions for athletes interested in middle distance (800m, 1500m) and up. Each of the ten sample training sessions will relate to a different area of conditioning for racing.

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#1. Cross Training.

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Any additional supplementary exercise is OK as long as running is not compromised. Of the most popular, cycling is good and can replace some of the longer running; freestyle swimming complements running and can be used for recovery, but doesn’t benefit runners terribly much, and gym work can be good, especially exercises like chin ups, hip flexor and abdomen exercises, and stepper running. Good runners do not improve their times by taking up pool running, treadmill running, heavy weight lifting etc, but I suppose it keeps people off the streets. Beware new and esoteric injuries when cross training!

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Middle Distance Runners must strengthen their stomach muscles.

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Abdomen work. How many small sit-ups can you do in 90 seconds?

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Sample session.

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We use the exercise circuit at Parliament House to run the 800 metre loop and incorporate a set of push-ups, a set of dips, a set of chin ups, and at the grass oval, some abdomen work and/or knee tucks. Several laps of the circuit allow the runners to do a couple of the exercises on each circuit.